Chris Lombardi puts defense and security under the spotlight, as he shares his takes on recent NATO and EU cooperation and provides insight into the company’s own long-term strategic partnerships in Europe.

Three trends are currently driving the global electricity sector: decarbonization, decentralization and differentiation. Utilities are making significant contributions to mitigate carbon emissions, while a technology revolution is …

EU ends sanctions on Burma

The European Union’s foreign ministers today ended all sanctions against Myanmar, other than the arms embargo.

The decision required no debate by ministers, as consensus had been reached in working groups that, as the conclusions stated, Myanmar’s “remarkable process of reform” warranted the opening of a “new chapter” in the EU’s relations with the country.

The decision was, however, condemned by Lotte Leicht of Human Rights Watch. “Gushing superlatives appear to have replaced objective assessments in EU decision-making on Burma,” Leicht said, arguing that “the EU’s scrapping of targeted sanctions on Burma is premature and recklessly imperils human-rights gains made so far”.

She said that the military regime that still rules Myanmar, albeit with opponents present in the parliament, had yet to release all political prisoners, halt ethnic conflict and ease the challenge of delivering humanitarian assistance. The treatment of ethnic Rohingya Muslims remains a particular concern. Human Rights Watch says more than 125,000 have been uprooted by what it described as a government campaign of “ethnic cleansing”.